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Florida Gardening

my worms may become smarter than your worms

15 years ago

Putting mulch down to reduce the amount of grass out front and thought I'd provide the worms some reading material. I provided em entire magazines. I sure hope I dont decide to plant things in this area and have to remove or dig through a zine.

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Comments (9)

cindeea
15 years ago
HA HA Tony...you guys will come home to a gourmet meal with the worms under that Southern Living mag stirring the pot! I had to wrestle with a lizard for a worm the other day when repotting tomatoes...we split it.
tomkaren
15 years ago
That looks like it will accomplish what you want it too with one exception. Unless you are running a worm reading school. If so are you taking in additional students? Tuition? Boarding?
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tony_k_orlando
Original Author
15 years ago
Just giving them some reading material to use while they do their magic.
solstice98
15 years ago
Just stay away from National Enquirer and World Weekly News or your worms might start seeing Elvis or having alien babies!

Kate
tomncath
15 years ago
I give my worms Journals, much more educational than magazines! Magazines are just pulp fiction....

On a serious note, do you suppose the ink dyes in the paper could be harmful as the paper degrades? I know I've seen several articles stating not to make fireplace logs out of newspaper due to health hazards to humans... I only bring this up because I know the posthole method for tomatoes incorporates the use of newspaper.
tony_k_orlando
Original Author
15 years ago
Tomncath,

Who knows what to really think about the inks used? I DO think about em, I read about the paper changing to safe inks, but not sure about zines though.

This latest mulch project is not in an area of edibles, so I am not thinking too hard on it, but the water table does cross my mind.

I do use shredded paper which I make with all the junk mail, this has inks too, what can ya do? I am sure if we asked the person sending the stuff they would say it is SAFE as can be. You ask someone who does chemistry or studies toxic waste we would surely hear different.

I understand PLAYWORM magazine really gets the worm colony multiplying quickly, adds much needed heat and I hear the foldouts are good enough to eat. I guess only a worm would know.
tclynx
15 years ago
Very entertaining pic!

Newspaper in this country is supposed to have safe ink now days. I suspect that the magazines are safe too. As to the fliers and inserts and junk mail, who knows. We shred it all anyway and it goes to the compost bin. I tend to stick to the plain corrugated cardboard for the worm bins though since it breaks down so nice and doesn't leave colorful strips in the worm castings.

Here is a link that might be useful: TCLynx
goldenpond
15 years ago
I use to crush my soda and cereal boxes to put under landscape mulch but I don't trust it in my veggie patch.My dad is a great dumpster diver and when I need paper he raids the recycle bins at the SR Apts.for me.
imatallun
15 years ago
LOL! Thanks for the posts, everyone. I enjoyed this, especially after having run out in the rain tonight in the dark to dig a hole for left over veggies and fruit for the worms. I think TomnCath's worms will be smarter, Tony's will be more savvy re current events, and I'll start adding shredded paper to my wormfood.

Thanks for the worm education.

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